


Death of a Bachelor

by shinyskarmorys



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alcohol, Drunken Confessions, F/M, Gratuitous Use of Panic At The Disco, Implied Sexual Content, Night out with the lads, Song Lyrics, leon is a fucking gremlin when drunk: the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:08:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27650443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinyskarmorys/pseuds/shinyskarmorys
Summary: And when you think of me... am I the best you've ever had?A particularly drunken night out leads Raihan to make some very profound realisations about himself and Nic... with a little help from his friends.
Relationships: Kibana | Raihan/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	Death of a Bachelor

**Author's Note:**

> For Jaz, who got brainworms from the titular Panic! at the Disco song and I was more than happy to act on them - also why I couldn't resist the lyric fic. The NicRai nation keeps thriving!
> 
> For more content of her wonderful OC Nic, check out her [Twitter](https://twitter.com/THEUNOVANPRINCE)!

_Do I look lonely? I see the shadows on my face..._

The Warthog’s Whiskers was nearly always full on weekends, but it wasn’t so much the food and drink that drew people there—there were at least three other pubs in Hammerlocke that were more value for money. But it was in a prime location right opposite the stadium, ideal for a post-match catchup with friends; this included the Gym Leader himself—which is what people shelled out cash in the hopes of catching a glimpse of. Private seating aside.

It was exactly the case today, too; the evening had featured an absolutely riveting match against Motostoke Gym Leader Kabu, taken right down to the wire before Flygon swung it in favour of the local side—it was all anyone could talk about as they walked through the swinging doors. The in-house TV was showing the match highlights, but there were more eyes darting towards the huge door that said _Members Only._

Kabu had already gone home, of course. Raihan hadn’t expected the old man to stay too far outside Motostoke this late at night, and certainly not to hunker down for a drink with the boys. Speaking of the boys, they’d all been gracious enough to show up at the start of the match and stay right through it—except Piers, who’d driven a hard bargain to only join them for drinks. Still, he’d kept his word and showed up, and Raihan greatly appreciated that.

He also seemed to be the only relatively sober one at the table, too. Milo had already gone into a giggling fit after just one beer as everyone predicted he would; Gordie had somehow gotten hold of an oversized pair of foam sunglasses, wearing them while he engaged in a very serious debate over who made better onion rings. He was repping Bob’s Your Uncle loud and proud, but Leon, three glasses down and sitting on the table, decided to extoll on the virtues of Bach’s Wyndon branch.

“It’s all about the crunch, man,” the Champion was saying, waving his hands to make his point. “The crunch requires a _science._ And Bach has mastered that science. The temperature, the crumb, the oil… you can’t go wrong with science.”

“Leon, Leon, Leon,” Gordie sighed dramatically, clasping both hands to his chest. “You know how science is perfected? By years and years of trial and error. And who has decades of tried and tested methods to their name? Yes, that’s right—” he waved in a dramatic flourish, “—it’s my man Bob. You can never go wrong with history.”

 _What a bunch of absolute fools,_ Raihan chuckled to himself, only half listening. But he was glad they were there. And in hindsight he was glad Kabu wasn’t. The crafty Hoennian bastard had almost certainly noticed his thoughts had been elsewhere throughout the match.

But was it his fault? When he’d heard his exhibition match was against Motostoke, he was more concerned if a certain someone would be in the stands to watch. And he was admittedly disappointed when she wasn’t…

_People have told me I don’t look the same…_

“Okay, imma settle this,” Raihan finally pitched in, taking a swig from his third glass—or was it his fourth? He’d lost count. “Personally, I’m with Gordie. You really can’t go wrong with history. It’s true.”

“See? See?!” Gordie whooped, pumping the air triumphantly. “A personal endorsement from the Great Raihan himself. That’s all you ever need.”

“Personal endorsement, my butt,” Leon scoffed, throwing a very pointed smirk at his rival and best friend. “Rai is only biased towards Bob’s Your Uncle because he was a regular there. But _not_ for the onion rings.”

Raihan rolled his eyes. “Lee, shut up.”

He should’ve just kept his mouth shut, because now Gordie was rounding on him, lifting his glasses in curiosity. “Oho, what’s all this? Some juicy gossip in my own city that I don’t know about?”

“Is it a girl?” Milo, bless his inebriated heart, had gone straight to the point, and Raihan hoped to Arceus the low light hid the heat in his cheeks. “It’s totally about a girl.”

“It’s not a girl, or a boy, or anyone,” Raihan grumbled, quickly taking another swig. “I just really like their platters, and Lee here is talking through his ass.”

“Oh yeah? Then why did you keep staring at the Motostoke box the whole time?” Leon challenged. “I asked Kabu’s healer afterwards if something was going on with the old man and they said no. So what gives?”

“Okay, okay, fine!” Raihan groaned, throwing his hands up. If he had to spill the beans, he’d rather everyone hear it from the dragon’s mouth rather than interrogate Key—or worse, Kabu—about it. “Yes, I was expecting someone. But they didn’t show up, so it’s no big deal. Whatever.”

“Uh huh, you said the same thing the last time we were at Bob’s,” Leon smirked, taking a sip from his own glass. “Didn’t stop you from chasing after a certain waitress from Motostoke…”

“Hold on, hold on, hold on,” Gordie slurred, putting his hands on his hips and staring the Dragon Master down. “You mean to say Raihan was romancing someone under my nose and I knew nothing about it?!”

“I’m not romancing anyone!” Raihan protested. “Okay, so we may be sleeping around some—”

“What else is new.”

“Hey, this one is different, okay? I actually really like this girl—”

“So you _are_ romancing her!” Milo giggled.

_“No!”_

“There’s only one way to settle this,” Leon declared suddenly, putting his glass down. He had a slightly evil grin on his face and Raihan didn’t like the look of it. “Hey, Digit. Can you pull up the messaging app—”

Raihan then realised there were some disadvantages to constantly keeping his Rotom Phone outside. He lunged at Digit unsuccessfully as it zoomed over to Leon. “Digit, no!”

“Digit, yes,” Leon cackled, the booze clearly gone to his head. “Alright… Nichole, wasn’t it? Oh, you’ve just saved her as Nic? Awww, how cute, you’re already using pet names—”

“Lee, I swear to Arceus—” He decided to grab at the purple-haired man instead, but he ducked out of the way and was quickly punching letters into the keyboard as Gordie and Milo looked on in glee. “Wait!”

“Hi Nic! _Soooo_ sad you couldn’t be at today’s match, it was great,” Leon read aloud his text in a singsong voice. “I thought you’d be there to cheer on old man Kabu, but I knew in my heart you’d be cheering for me—”

Gordie snapped his fingers. “Add a winky face! Add a winky face!”

“Winky face,” Leon continued, while Raihan groaned in despair. “Anyway, I missed you _soooo_ much. Can’t wait till I see you again and I can tell you all about it. Your Rai—oh, add a heart emoji at the end—”

“ _‘Your Rai’?!_ ” Raihan wailed, facepalming. “Digit! Delete that!”

“Too late. I hit send,” Leon grinned, clapping his friend on the back, while Digit whizzed back towards his Trainer’s side. “Look at your face. It’s like a Tamato salad. So you _were_ planning to text her, eh? Thank me later.”

“Well maybe I was, but not like _that_ —”

“Oh, you wanted me to make it a little spicier?”

Milo’s arrival with a giant platter saved him further embarrassment. “Grill’s here! Anyone up for another round?”

“Milo, you of all people should be the last to ask for another round,” Leon laughed as he picked up his glass again, turning his attention away from Raihan. “But if you insist.”

_I’m playing hooky with the best of the best_

Raihan poured himself another glass and sank back into his seat, sighing. He needed the drink more than the food at that moment. By all accounts, he was a dead man—

_Bzzt!_

“You have three new messagezzz!” Digit chirped, hovering in front of him. “From Mizzz Nic!”

 _Oh God. She’d seen it. She’d replied. Several times._ Raihan had to wonder if his Rotom Phone was also conspiring against him along with his friends. Biting his lip nervously, he opened the thread.

_ > heyyy! sorry i couldn’t make it… got tied up in training but we got to watch the match down here! you did amazing!! _

_ > im sure kabu wouldn’t have minded me cheering for u instead ;) _

_ > would this help? missing u too <3 _

The last message was accompanied by a selfie of Nic. She’d clearly just showered and was getting comfy; she was wearing a Motostoke Gym hoodie, her gorgeous hair all about her shoulders, throwing a wink and a kiss to the camera. She was… perfect.

Whatever concerns he had previously were now dissolving… perhaps in the alcohol that was heightening his reaction to the picture, but it didn’t matter. Nic said she missed him… and god, had he missed her. All he’d wanted ever since he’d walked into the stadium was to see her there, waving and cheering him on, that beautiful smile across her lips… the lips he could’ve been kissing after the match, sweeping her away out of the stadium to get some time to themselves…

He frantically punched sentences into the screen.

_ > babe. you are. gorgeous. _

_ > yes and no. that helped, but now i miss you even moreeeee :((((( _

_ > wait till i get to motostoke and you can cheer for me there if you know what i mean ;) _

_ > seriously tho _

_ > i miss your gorgeous face :((((( _

_ > you know why i’m really a winner today??? _

_ > because i got youuuuu _

And so on it went for at least ten messages more. Thank Arceus for autocorrect, because his spelling was getting worse by the second. He downed his glass after he’d finished, not realising how huge the grin on his face was. If he could, he’d actually do by his text and head down to Motostoke right then. All he wanted was to hold her as tight as he could and never let go… kiss her beautiful face, and then kiss her some more...

_Pull my heart out my chest so that you can see it too_

“She replied, huh?”

The voice jerked him right back to earth, because it had come from a most unexpected source: Piers, who until then had sat there drinking his scotch and not saying a word. He’d clearly heard the entire conversation from his corner—but he wasn’t looking at Raihan with any sort of teasing. Actually, Raihan couldn’t tell what was behind that blank stare, certainly not in his current state. But it was different to how the other boys had acted, so why not overshare?

“Yeah, she… she did,” Raihan grinned, nodding and shoving Digit into his pocket. “She said she missed me… can you believe that? She actually missed me today. She would’ve been there… and I could’ve seen her…”

“Uh huh,” Piers observed in the same monotone. “You think you woulda won faster if she’d been there today?”

Raihan tapped his chin as if pondering the question, then looked back up. “You bet,” he declared, emphatically slamming his empty glass on the table and standing up. “I wouldn’t have just won it. I’d win it just for her!”

The sudden movement had caught the others’ attention, and they were all staring at him now, as if waiting for him to make a speech. Piers simply smirked. “Even though you were fightin’ her boss?”

“That—that—that doesn’t matter,” Raihan waved dismissively. “She’s always there for me… after every match… whoever it was… win or lose. Yeah, that means you, Lee. Even when you kick my ass into the dirt she’s there for me. She sent me a whole package of Moltresers once. Or she just sends a selfie and I just need to look at her face and I’m ready to kick your ass again.”

“I dunno, bro,” Leon snickered over his beer. “Sounds like you’re in love with her to me.”

“And so what if I am?” Raihan huffed, then paused as if reflecting over what he just said. “Yo. Holy shit.”

“Yes?”

“I’m in love with her. I’m in love with Nic.” He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the realisation that was making his head spin. Maybe it was both. He got onto the chair, for some altitude and because he needed to make his point heard. More than the guys, he needed to hear it himself. _“Holy shit! I’m in love with Nic!”_

The response from his friends was emphatic—they all broke out in applause at the same time, with the exception of Piers, who simply nodded smugly. His work here was done.

“See? I knew you could do it!” Leon laughed, clapping Raihan on the back again. “Hell yeah, bro, you’re in love with her!”

“Hell yeah!” Gordie agreed, fist pumping nobody in particular. “Get some, bro!”

“Yay, Raihan!” Milo clapped, before promptly passing out on the table.

“Now what?” Piers shrugged, still with the smug smile, and Raihan turned to face him, puzzled. “You gonna just make that big speech and do nothin’ about it?”

“Well… I mean… I wouldn’t know what to tell her,” the Dragon Master stammered, fidgeting with his Dynamax Band. “I mean… fuck knows if she feels that way, but I love what we have… and honestly, I just really like being with her, y’know? I don’t think I’d feel this way if I didn’t…”

“Sweet Arceus. If I hear one more second of your pinin’ I might actually go insane,” the Spikemuth Gym Leader groaned, downing the last of his scotch. “Clearly ya need ta be somewhere else right now. So why’re ya still here?”

Raihan blinked at him. “What, you mean it?”

“Trust me, it’s better for everyone involved. Actually, wait, ya can’t walk straight. I’m comin’ with ya. I’ll drop your sad ass off at Motostoke before ya make the whole crowd lovesick.”

“You mean that?” Raihan’s entire face lit up at the idea… but mostly at the thought of seeing Nic again. To take in her perfume and the warmth of her arms… The anticipation overwhelmed him so much he pulled Piers up into a hug the other man didn’t entirely appreciate. “Thank you, thank you, Piers. You’re a real bro.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright, let’s not get too chummy. I’m only doin’ this as a favour for all of us,” Piers grimaced, shaking him off and leading him carefully towards the back door. This was going to be the longest Corviknight taxi ride of his life.

* * *

_I’m walking the long road, watching the sky fall…_

Piers managed to get the taxi to land outside Motostoke Stadium, which he assumed was a good landmark to find Nic’s flat from given he had no idea where it was. Even less helpful was Raihan’s drunken navigation, something he’d had to put up with on top of his endless praises of Nic the entire time they were in the taxi.

“Say one more word about her eyes and I’m puttin’ in an order for prescription glasses for ya,” the musician grumbled as they stopped outside the apartment. “Well, here we are. Now you can go stare into them t’your heart’s content.”

“Thank you so much for doing this for me, Piers. I don’t care what the others say, you’re a real G,” Raihan grinned happily, hugging the other man again till he was wriggling to get away from his grasp, before sprinting up the stairs.

How long had it been since that selfie? An hour? A bit more? Hopefully she hadn’t gone to bed. Hopefully her saying she missed him too meant she’d be expecting him at the door…

“Oh—wow, Rai,” Nic blinked as she answered the doorbell, taking in her boyfriend from head to toe. He was panting like he’d just run a marathon. “I, um, I wasn’t expecting this…”

“Hey, babe… sorry to kinda spring on you like this…” he chuckled, first leaning against the doorjamb and then her shoulder for support. She still smelled nice even though the shower was long past… warm, comforting and homey. It was taking him back to his declaration a few hours ago… “But, uh, I… I really did miss you.”

Nic felt herself beginning to melt at first, at the sincere look in his eyes and the sudden closeness—then she sniffed the air. “Oh my god. You’re wasted.”

“I may have had a few drinks with the boys, you know, to celebrate the win…”

“Yeah, I figured. Come on inside now, let’s get you some water. You big doofus.” She shook her head, chuckling and carefully hoisting him on her shoulders as she shut the door. “You really abandoned the guys just for me, huh?”

“I didn’t really abandon them! They said I could go,” Raihan pouted as he flopped on the couch. He’d always liked this couch. “I told them I was missing you and they said I had to go see you.”

“Oh, so they all know, huh?” Nic raised an eyebrow, settling down beside him with a glass of water. She held it to his lips while gently rubbing his back—she’d dealt with her fair share of drunken people, but she knew Raihan would appreciate the touch all the more. Sure enough, he was leaning closer into her embrace with every circular movement. “Because I assume it wasn’t just Leon over there.”

“Of course they had to know! I had to tell them.”

She tilted her head at him, not once pausing the rubbing. “Tell them what?”

“Tell them… that you’re amazing, and breathtaking, and you’re everything to me,” Raihan purred, gazing right up into Nic’s eyes, resting against her shoulder and pecking her cheek. “And I just… you couldn’t be there, and I just really, really needed to be with you, babe.”

_The lace in your dress tangles my neck_

_How do I live?_

That was enough to melt whatever Nic had left. The look in his teal eyes was one of absolute sincerity, like the only thing he could see in that moment was her. She waited till he’d finished the water before moving her hand to his face, still moving it the same way she’d soothed his back… and his response was to take it in his, pressing a kiss to each knuckle. The heat flared up in her cheeks. “You really did miss me, huh?”

“I did. I felt so good, thinking of you, and I needed you so bad… and I still do, actually,” he grinned, leaning into her touch and wrapping an arm around her waist. She didn’t flinch, but leaned closer; she could tell his needs came from the heart… a bit different than what she was used to.

“Tell me,” she smirked, sliding into his lap and pulling off her hoodie, delighting a little at the way his eyes widened when he realised that was all she’d been wearing on top. “That first text you sent. That wasn’t you, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t,” Raihan laughed sheepishly, trailing his kisses up to her shoulders and his hands up her bare back. He’d wanted to hold Nic the whole day, and now he couldn’t get enough of her. And he was determined to let her know just how much. “But that doesn’t mean I didn’t mean what I said.”

“I know.” Nic pulled him over her this time, watching him take the cue and discard his iconic hoodie, a sly smile on her face. Oh, she’d ached for him too, and she didn’t know just how much until that text popped up. She’d told Key to report back every detail from the match since she couldn’t go, but it looked like she’d be the one doing the reporting on a very different match… “So I hope you also meant what you said about getting me to cheer for you, because I’ve been waiting all day.”

He pulled her into a deep, hungry kiss, which she reciprocated with two more just as longing; arms and legs coiled around each other in a quest to make up for lost time and space. Fuck, he’d missed those strong arms of hers. Everything about her that made his heart beat a million miles an hour, almost as if he was back on the pitch. Everything he ever wanted.

“You know I always give you a winning time, babe.”

_Seems so fitting for happily ever after…_

When the morning sunlight hit him, it took Raihan a few moments to put together what happened the previous night and why he was naked in a blanket on Nic’s couch. _That_ part he’d never complain about, but the events leading up to it… He facepalmed in horror, then groaned, reeling from the massive headache.

He’d told the entire party he loved Nic.

He _loved_ Nic.

But had he told _her_? Had it slipped out by mistake in a moment of pleasure and he hadn’t realised? It was all well with the guys, because at least they’d no longer tease him. But the L-bomb was still a pretty big one to drop, and he really hadn’t planned on letting it get this far…

“Awake right on time, sleepyhead,” Nic’s voice came from above him. Nothing unusual about it—she had the same warmth as yesterday. He watched as she sat beside him, clad in a dressing gown—and carrying a tray laden with bacon, eggs and toast.

“Whoa. What’s all this?”

“Breakfast in bed, if you can call it a bed,” she grinned, kissing him gently and feeding him a forkful of eggs. “I don’t expect you to be getting up any time soon given your… condition last night.”

“I think I did pretty well all things considered,” he winked, accepting the eggs before looking up at her with genuine gratitude. “But seriously, babe… thanks for this. I’m not sure what I did to deserve it, but thanks.”

“Oh, you did plenty,” Nic smiled, holding a hand to his cheek… before dropping it to pick up the toast. “Now shut up and eat.”

Raihan gladly complied; not least because he hadn’t expected it, but… he was wondering what it would be like if he did expect it. Waking up to breakfast everyday with the woman he loved… Arceus, what a mortifyingly domestic thought. The guys would never hear the end of it.

But then… he’d be waking up everyday to Nic. This force of nature who was every bit the fire she specialised in; the fire that had kindled in his own heart and kept him going. 

Would that really be so bad?

_How could I ask for more?_

_Lifetime of laughter_

_At the expense of the death of a bachelor_

**Author's Note:**

> Key is [katerskater](https://archiveofourown.org/users/katerskater)'s adorable OC - do check out their fic for more, it's a great read!


End file.
